Closure for barrels, &amp;c.



G. fr. WILLIAMsoN.

GLOSUBE FOR BBBELS, dw. l APPALIATIION FIL'ED .LUG.'10`L 1908.

918,718. l. Patented Apr. 2o, 1909.

MAMMA ppg@ stra.

erLns F. WILLIAMSON, OF SAVANNAH, GEORGIA.

oLosUnE non BAnnELs, &c.`

`Specification oi Letters i Patent.

Patentednprii 2o, 1909.

Application lel AugustlO, 1908. 'Seria1No. 447,798.

To all whom it may concern.' Y Be it known that I, GILns F. WILLIAMSON, citizen of the United States, residing at 536 State street, (now 515 Bay street east,) Savannah, in the county of Chatham and State oic Georgia, have invented certain new and use'lul Im rovements in Closures ior Barrels, &c., of W ich the following isa specification. This invention relates to barrels, casks or the like, and closures therefor. 1

The Object of my invention is to provide for the re-use of barrels, casks, etc. and this object I attain by so constructingthe vhead end of the barrel, andthe head proper that the latter Vmay be clamped tightly into position to close the barrel or removed therefrom. IIeretofore this object was sought to be attained by forcing the head in wed-ging sections to be expanded into the croZe, or by forming an annular seat for the head well bef low the chime to receive the edges o1 the cir cular head provided with wedge shaped Hanges engaging wedge blocks secured within the barrel mouth. These constructions are considered objectionable in that the parts cannot be readily cleansed for re-use, owing to the movablewedging parts, or the sharp non-accessible angles beneath the wedge blocks within the barrel mouth.

My invention consists in the combination with a barrel provided at its mouth or open end with a ermanently seated 'annulus having a wide e li tical opening of a head adapted to tightly the annulus and rovided on its inner side with undercut shoulilers adapted to pass through the longer radius of the opening in annulus and lock beneath the narrower radius thereof.

In the accompanying drawingsfFigure l, is a to plan view ofa barrel, illustrating a part o' the closure. Fig. 2, is a vertical sectional view on the line 2--2,'Fig. 1, showing the upper part of a barrel embodying my improvements, the closure being in unlocked position. Fig. 3, is a similar section taken on the line 3 3 Fig. l showing the parts in locked position. of the cover, inverted.

My invention is designed particularly for use with barrels casks, irkins etc., formed of thick oak staves, as indicated, though it is applicable, to some extent to flour and sugar barrels, formed of thin staves and to other receptacles, not having the centrally bulged form of barrels or casks, as for instance, the

Fig. 4, is a perspective view,

outwardly flared straight walls of butter tubs and the like.

Referring tofthe drawing the barrel, cask or the like is formed of staves l, which may be crozed, as shown at 2, Fig."2, or may he finished without a croze, asshown in Fig. 3.

Fitted tightly within the end of the barrel is a narrow annulus or flange ring 3 preferably ot cast iron, the inwardly extending iiange vthereof terminating to lorm a large central Opening 4 that will give ready access to the contents o1c the barrel. This opening is O' ellipticalform, the iange narrowing symmetrically from opposite points 5 oi the shorter radius of the Vopening to points 6 at the longer'radius thereof, the edge of the -lange increasing in thicknessl from the points 6 to the points 5, thereby "forming symmetrical'inclines from said points 6 to 5, for a purpose to be explained. This annulus may be cast in the form shown in Fig. 2, to fit within the croze of the barrel and be clamped therein by driving the hoopsin a manner' well understood, or as shown in Fig. 3, wherein no croze is formed in thestaves and the periphery of the annulus is securely bolted to the staves, but in any event, the annulus is cast in such form that when in position its inner surface will meet the inner surface of the staves at an acute angle, thereby preventing `the lodgment of particles at the junction of the annulus and staves, and facilitating the thorough cleansing of the barrel when emptied.

The barrel cap or head 7 is formed preferably of oak planking of a diameter to lit snugly but not tightly within the barrel, its under surface resting on the inwardly projecting flange of the annulus, as shown. To the under surface of the head is secured a locking means designed to engage the wedge shaped perimeter of the flange, and here shown in the form of a cleat 8 having undercut ends 9 that will pass readily through the elliptical opening of the annulus on the longerradius of the ellipse, as in Fig. 2, but lock with a wedging action beneath the edges of the ilange as they become thicker toward the point 5 of shorter radius of the elliptical opening, as shown in Fig. 3. Y

rlhe barrel head may be formed of two or more sections, in which case I prefer to employ the locking cleat 8, asit greatly adds to the strength of the head, being secured with the grain at right angles, to that ofthe head roper, but it will be understood that this ocling means inay be formed ol two short blocks, indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

To give additional strength to the head, and also 'to afford means for readily giving` it a partial turn to lock it in position or reniove it, l secure to the u iper surface two cleats lO and ll, the grain runnir-r' at right angles to th of the head, and the acont margins being spaced apart to forni a parallel sided. channel l2, to receive lever by which the head i1 r be rota ed.

By the construction described it will be seen that the barrel indy be readily discharged el its contents, as the annulus extends but slightly within the barrel and arched outward to 'facilitate the ilow oi" viscid liquids. "l'he margins ol the opening in the annulus being smooth, a woriirnan can readily use a paddle or other utensil to clear the barrel of slow flowing liquids, suoi as turpentine and molasses, without hindrance, and there being no inwardly projecting angular parts, the barrel may be thoroughly cleansed.

l claim,

i. A device oli-the character described, comprising a head or end inernber having a 'filling and emptying opening therethrough and inclined upwardly and inwardly 'li-cin the inner surface of said receptacle toward the inarginof said opening, and a closure or cover adapted to close opening and rest upon the upper edge oi said head-member and provided upon its underside with a cleat Vhaving beveled ends or edges taking under said upwardly and inwardly inclined portions o'l said closure, said closure having upon its upper surface spaced-apart cleats adapted to receive between there a lever lor turning said closure into, or out of locked position.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a head or end nieniber having an elliptical liiling and emptying opening therethrough and inclined upwardly and inwardly -lroni the inner suriiace of receptacle toward the inargin oi' said opening and a closure or cover adapted to close said opening and having a cleat upon its underside whose length is less than the niajor axis or radius of said opening but greater than the cross-section ol said opening, said cleat also having beveled ends or edges taking under said upwardly and inwardly inclined surface of said head-member, the marginal portions or edges around said opening being` received within the undercut recesses liorined between said beveled edges of the cleat and the overlying or projecting portion of said closure.

3. i-i device ol' the character described, comprising a receptacle having an end or head ineinber provided with an elliptical opening and inclined upwardly and inwardly 'from the inner surface, ol said receptacle toward the niargin oic said opening and a closure or cover adapted to close said opening and rest upon the upper edge of said head nieinber and provided upon its under side with a cleat whose length is less than the inajor axis or radius of said opening but greater than the cross-section olE said pening, said cleat also having beveled ends or edges taking under said upwardly and inwardly inclined surface ol said head-ineinber, the marginal portions or edges around said opening` being received within the undercut recesses lorined between said beveled edges ol the cleat and the overlying or projecting portion ol said closure, said closure also having upon its upper surface spacedapart cleats adapted to receive between thein a bar or lever for turning said closure into or out of locked position.

4. il device ot the character described, comprising a receptacle having` an end or head ineinber `n'ovided with an elliptical opening` and inclined upwardl.v and inwardly frein the inner surface ol said receptacle toward the margin of said opening, and a closure or cover adapted to close said opening and rest upon the upper edge of said headineinber, and provided upon its underside i with a cleat having beveled ends or edges taking under said upwardly and inwardly inclined portions of said closure, the inarginal portions or edges arouni'l'said opening being received within the undercut recesses tornied between said lmveled edges of' the cleat and the overlying or projecting portion of said closure.

ln testimony .vhereol l allie; niy signature, in presence ol two witnesses.

Gili/ES F. lllllililMSON l'Vitnesses:

E. (l. PERKINS, CnciL CLARK. 

